


A Brave’s Plight

by gamorasquill



Series: Tales of the Nora [1]
Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Implied Relationships, Multi, also yes I ship sona and resh a little, let me live, small ficlet because I’m varloy trash tbh, worry fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 23:30:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13421919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gamorasquill/pseuds/gamorasquill
Summary: Varl gets hurt in battle and Aloy comes to a conclusion to help...





	A Brave’s Plight

Panic.

The heat of an intense battle.

Adrenaline coursing through her veins. None of these were new to Aloy but this aching fear quickly growing inside of her almost was.

A rockbreaker. Powerful, devastating and infuriated. One Nora Brave was foolish enough to lead it back to the tribe and now it could cause serious damage. The metal beast thundered and roared as it was attacked by countless arrows outside the Embrace Gate, finally rebuilt by the Nora and now once again in danger of destruction. The giant beast was a few feet away but thanks to its ability to hurl rocks it could still cause devastating damage. Countless arrows were launched into the air, hitting the beast's hard exterior but doing little to no damage.

"It's no use." Aloy realized, reaching up to swipe her fingers over her focus. "They'll never take it down alone, they don't know where to aim."

A sphere of iridescent violet light suddenly engulfed her and the redhead could see everything. The beast and all of its important components, every Nora brave attempting to bring it down and even the tiny rodents and boars scrambling for safety. Despite the imminent threat standing before her, that was not the reason for Aloy's fear. Standing right in the center of the heat, danger and mass panic were two of the Nora that she held dear.

Two who were more united on the battlefield than any other Nora she had seen before. Alike in every way they moved and attacked. Nearly identical despite the very obvious differences they had. The legendary Nora War-Chief Sona and her firstborn and last surviving child Varl. Unlike the other men and women fighting, these two were obviously strategic in their strikes. Despite the fact that they wore no focuses they were still causing a great deal of damage to the enemy.

But then the unbelievable happened...

An arrow from a Nora girl's bow struck the creature's back and it immediately went into defense mode. It swipe its large hands around before digging them into the ground and vanishing into the earth. Aloy's green eyes widened with dread and her blood ran cold as she realized what was about to happen.

 _ **"RUN!"**_ She ordered but her warning came too late.

In an incredible show of strength, the rockbreaker sprang from its shelter underground. There were a few screams of both shock and pain as the force of the sudden leap sent a few Braves flying, including Varl. They were thrown in all different directions and Aloy watched as her friend slammed into a tree, his body falling limp to the ground.

Something snapped inside the young Seeker and she opened her mouth in a horrified but silent scream. Her shimmering emerald eyes watched in shock and horror as her friend landed in a patch of red grass but didn't get back up.

 _"No!"_ Sona cried but before she could rush to her son, the rockbreaker turned on them again. It dug its tail into the ground, sending a few dozen rocks flying in her direction. The War Chief swiftly rolled away before hopping back on her feet, bow and arrow poised and ready to get her revenge. Her stone cold onyx eyes had suddenly gotten colder, reminding the redhead of her time spent fighting in the Proving. Nothing but winter and ice surrounding herself and fellow tribe.

Aloy turned her attention from the Chief to her son who still had not moved from his spot. Her blood boiled in her veins and she reached behind her to retrieve her spear, gripping it tightly in her throbbing hands. Without a second thought, she hopped down from her post at the gate and charged towards the battle.

.....................

"By the goddess!"

"Sona, please you shouldn't-"

"Unhand me Resh! I will see my son!"

Varl twitched in pain and confusion as the thunderous sounds of arguing pounded against his already aching skull. Without opening his eyes lifted he lifted his hand to the sky, a silent plea to the goddess to make the hauntingly familiar voices cease.

"Varl!"

Soon there was a hand gripping his, squeezing it tenderly like a mother would but also firmly like a comrade. It even left a strange but warm feeling of familiarity.

Sweet but stern dark eyes identical to his and Vala's, one painted over with a blue claw. Full dark lips that were almost always tugged into a scowl...and a scar just underneath the bottom lip. A hard and rough voice that oddly had the potential to be soft and sweet.

That was his...his...

"Mother?" He called, his voice nothing but a terribly dry croak.

The bed dipped on his left side and the grip on his hand tightened gently. He felt his mother's lips on his forehead, pressing a million kisses to his skin.

"I'm here koko." She whispered like a sweetened promise. "I'm right here."

He felt his lips curl into a smile. That nickname was nothing but a distant memory from the past. His mother had stopped calling him that when he had won the proving and earned the title of a Brave.

"Mother...where-"

"You're home; resting." She answered, pressing more kisses to his skin. "You were gravely injured, nearly killed." 

Varl frowned as memories came rushing back to him. The battle at the new Embrace Gate and the rockbreaker that had been led back to their village. He had fought alongside his mother and the other braves but he had been knocked down and everything had vanished behind a black curtain. And then he woke up here.

"The metal beast knocked you right into tree." She explained, running her hands over his long dark hair. It was rare that he ever let it loose from its bonds. "You have a few bruised bones but you will live thank Goddess."

He nodded gently and turned to look up at her. "The beast?"

Sona's eyes hardened but they quickly returned to their soft default. "Destroyed now thanks to myself and the Anointed."

"The _'Anointed'_ still prefers her given name Aloy."

Both heads turned just in time to watch the redhead stride inside, eyes bright and a small smile tugging at her lips. Sona welcomed her with a stiff nod that Aloy of course returned and even shifted slightly on the bed so she would have room to sit if she pleased.

"Aloy." Varl greeted, a grin quickly spreading on his face.

"Varl." She greeted in return but there was an obvious distress in her eyes. She couldn't even muster up a proper smile; her lips just twisting into a series of different grimaces. "Are you...are you alright?"

The brave smiled, dark eyes moving between his friend and mother. "I take it I was injured pretty seriously. Although with this unbearable ache over my body I should have guessed that. My entire body aches with a throb I have never faced before."

Sona let her fingers glide over his cheek. "You're bruised up pretty well and lucky to be alive. That metal devil nearly tossed you through an entire tree."

"I'm sure there are many other wounded...some killed." Varl dismissed, weakly raising a hand to wave her away.

"They are not my children. My concern lies with them as well of course but you are my _son."_ The War-Chief stated, eyes shining with a sorrowful glint as she caught his hand in her own. "I lost your sister...I will not lose you as well."

A saddened hush fell over the room as Vala was remembered. Aloy's gaze fell on her hands as the girl's kind face played on a loop in her head. Besides Teb, Vala was the only other Nora that had been kind to her when she arrived. Aloy had liked her instantaneously...and her death, that came so suddenly and much too soon, still made her heart ache. She couldn't even imagine how deep Sona and Varl's grief had to be.

"War-Chief!"

All heads turned just in time to see Resh bound into the room. He gave Aloy a hardened glare but also a nod of acknowledgement. However his entire demeanor shifted when he turned to the Chief. His face remained stiff but his pale eyes lit up as soon as he looked at her. Even Sona's visage softened when she looked at him.

"We need you." He declared in a reserved voice, like he wanted no one but the War-Chief to hear what he had to say. "More machines, small in size but great in number."

With an almost aggravated sigh, Sona nodded but it was more than obvious that she didn't want to go. "Alright. Aloy, can I trust you to stay with my son while Resh and I neutralize the threat?"

The redhead gave a curt nod of both confirmation and respect. "Of course."

With a soft exhale, Sona dropped to her knees beside the bed. Gently, she took her son's hand and brought it to her lips, kissing each of his knuckles. "I shall return to you. Hopefully sooner rather than later."

Varl nodded in understanding, slightly tightening his grip on her hand. "Go...I'll be here."

Sona smiled with a light chuckle, leaning inward to kiss his forehead. "Of course you will."

With that the Chief rose to her feet and turned to Resh, who was watching her patiently. "Shall we?"

"This way War-Chief." He announced, leading her out of the room and leaving Aloy alone with her injured friend.

The redhead took a seat beside him, draping her hand over his. "Thought we lost you out there." She muttered awkwardly.

"I must be favored by the Goddess...even the Anointed worries over me."

Green eyes rolled and Aloy lightly punched his leg. "You're my friend Varl, one of very few that I have here,...and you mean a lot to me. I don't want anything to happen to you."

The injured brave brought her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. “Well, I’m honored that you value me so much.”

Aloy brought her legs up onto the bed and curled up against her friend. She gently placed her head on his chest, making sure to be cautious of his wounds. Her green eyes brightened with interest when he tugged their hands to his chest, pressing her right above his heartbeat. Its thunderous beating was reassuring to say the least and Aloy was more than happy to feel it.

“I want you to be able to fight like me.” She suddenly admit breathlessly.

“What do you mean?” Varl asked, interlacing their fingers.

Slowly, the redhead’s green eyes moved up to gaze at the Brave’s face. With an almost nervous smile, she turned her head to reveal the triangle shaped device she wore just above her ear. “I want you to wear a focus.”

Swiping her fingers over the small shard of metal, Aloy activated her device and small sphere of light engulfed the room. “The focuses...they show you everything within close proximity. They tell you where to hit a beast and where to knock off all of the important parts that make it work. It makes things easier and battle and it’ll protect you, make it harder for you to get hurt.”

Varl eyed her focus with wary eyes. “I don’t...I don’t know Aloy.”

“Just try it.” The redhead insisted softly, giving his hand a soft squeeze. “Please...I’ll even teach you how to use it.”

The brave’s smile slowly returned at the thought. Being taught by the Anointed herself had to be quite a rewarding experience. Not to mention that if she was here teaching him then she wouldn’t be riding off into the unknown, leaving him to wonder if she would ever return again.

Slowly, he looked down and met her eyes, which were still trained on him. Their gazes lingered for a while before Aloy finally looked away. Varl could have sworn he saw a hint of red pooling in those freckled cheeks but chose not to speak on it.

“If you are willing to teach me...then I suppose I’m more than willing to learn.” He stated softly.

Aloy’s smile broke into a full grin. “Perfect.”

**Author's Note:**

> I’m varloy trash. Idc. 
> 
> This will have multiple parts.
> 
> (And I’ll explain why I ship Sona/Resh in later stories :3) 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Feedback is always welcome and appreciated!!!!


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